Ever since low cost microprocessors became available, telephone equipment manufacturers have used them to devise mechanisms such as speed dialing and electronic phone books to make dialing easier and more convenient for a caller. Speed dialing is typically implemented using a specialized button or buttons separate from the traditional telephone keypad. Electronic phone books are typically implemented using specialized buttons and a display. These proprietary interfaces do not allow the speed dial or phone book functionality on one phone to operate with a standard push button or rotary dial telephone or with another manufacturer's telephone even if it has special keys and displays for that purpose. When a consumer purchases a new telephone, they have to learn a new mechanism for speed dialing and/or phone book dialing and these features do not operate with their old telephone.
Private Branch Exchanges (PBX) typically include a mechanism referred to as dial-by-name that simplifies connecting inward callers to a desired extension or for connecting a caller who is local to the PBX with a called party who is also local to the PBX. Often the caller knows the name of the person they wish to be connected with, but not their extension number. In order to expedite completing the call, the PBX can prompt the caller to press a key such as the ‘#’ key on their telephone keypad that signals the PBX to transition from a dial by extension mode to a dial-by-name mode of operation. Once in the dial-by-name mode, the caller is prompted to enter the name of the person they wish to speak with using the letters associated with the standard digit keys 2 though 9 on their telephone's keypad until a unique match is found, at which time the PBX system dials the appropriate extension for the caller.